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2/27/18

Sandstone Carving with Artistry by Nature

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Those of you who follow Trevor's blog know that he was REALLY excited about Artistry by Nature's sandstone carving kits and desperately hoping I would come home from the Creativation show with one for him to try. Lucky for him, the kind people at Artistry by Nature gave me some sample kits, including this bear!

Each kit comes with a rough-cut block of sandstone, sculpting files, a finishing stone, and instructions. The QR code on the package leads to a handy instructional video.

Trevor watched the video and then jumped right in to carving. He was surprised by how easy it was to do. I was glad to see that the tools are very kid-friendly and don't require the close supervision that woodcarving does.

Trevor wanted to carve indoors, which would not have been my first choice. He worked over a scrap poster board and fortunately the Dustbuster did a decent job of vacuuming up the mess. It did clog the filter pretty quickly though.

Trevor worked on his carving off and on for a few days, making visible progress each time.

We brought the carving to the park, where Trevor's friends were eager to give it a try. It really is a lot more fun carving outdoors where you don't have to clean up after yourself.

A lot of people were interested in seeing the carving. There were even strangers who asked if they could give it a try. Of course!

This is what our bear looks like right now. It's not done by any means, but it's getting there.

I highly recommend getting your own sandstone carving kit! Artistry by Nature has a variety of animals available, including a bear, buffalo, coyote, eagle, fish, penguin, ram, seahorse, and seal. Each kit comes with everything you need. The kits are safety-tested for kids age 6 and up, though I'd say that unless you have a particularly patient 6-year old, this is better geared for 10+. It's definitely fun for teens and adults, too.

A sandstone carving kit would be perfect for a camping trip or other extended outdoor activity. I could totally see the Scouts working on these sculptures during an outing, and it would be equally fun to do on the porch or by the grill on a warm summer's day. I love discovering a new-to-me craft! Thanks, Artistry by Nature!